Pliny on the stone of Siphnos (Naturalis Historia 36.44): In Siphnos lapis est, qui cavatur tornaturque in vasa vel coquendis cibis utilia vel ad esculentorum usus, quod et in Comensi Italiæ lapide viridi accidere scimus, sed in Siphnio singulare quod excalfactus oleo nigrescit durescitque natura mollissimus; tanta qualitatum differentia est. In Siphnos there is a […]
Also tagged 1st century, qualitas, Sifnos, soapstone, translationPliny on the dangers of being in the shade (Naturalis Historia 17.18): Iam quaedam umbrarum proprietas: iuglandum gravis et noxia, etiam capiti humano omnibusque iuxta satis. Now there is a certain distinctive property to some shades: that of walnut trees is unwholesome and harmful, both to human life, and to anything else close enough. He […]
Also tagged 1st century, juglone, proprietas, translation, walnutsPliny on Rhodopis’ pyramid (Naturalis Historia 36.17): Hæc sunt pyramidum miracula, supremumque illud, ne quis regum opes miretur, minimam ex iis, sed laudatissimam, a Rhodopide meretricula factam. These are the marvels of the pyramids, and the greatest of all—lest anyone marvel at the riches of kings—is that the smallest but most admired of them was […]
Also tagged 1st century, Cinderella, pyramis, Rhodopis, translationPliny on Egyptian dyeing (Naturalis Historia 35.42): Mirumque, cum sit unus in cortina colos, ex illo alius atque alius fit in veste accipientis medicamenti qualitate mutatus, nec postea ablui potest. And amazingly, while there may be only one color in the vat, one color after another is made out of it in the cloth; it […]
Also tagged 1st century, mordants, qualitas, translationPliny on mirrors (Naturalis Historia 33.45): Plurimum refert concava sint et poculi modo an parmae Threcidicae, media depressa an elata, transversa an obliqua, supina an recta, qualitate excipientis figurae torquente venientes umbras. It matters greatly whether they are concave like a cup or like the Threx’s parma shield, whether they are lowered or raised in […]
Also tagged 1st century, mirrors, qualitas, translationPliny on kinds of oak trees (Naturalis Historia 16.6): Distinguemus ergo proprietate naturaque et, ubi res coget, etiam Graecis nominibus. Therefore we will distinguish them by their properties, their natures, and, when the occasion requires, also by their Greek names. Well, I’m not too happy with this rendition; it’s clunky. Not sure how to tidy […]
Also tagged 1st century, proprietas, translationPliny on dangerous water (Naturalis Historia 31.19): Et haec insidiosa condicio est, quod quaedam etiam blandiuntur aspectu, ut ad Nonacrim Arcadiae, omnino nulla deterrent qualitate. There is also this treacherous circumstance, that some [poisonous waters] may even be enticing in appearance, as at Nonacris in Arcadia; they do not deter with any distinctive quality at […]
Also tagged 1st century, qualitas, translationPliny on pyramids again (Naturalis Historia 36.17): In pyramide maxima est intus puteus LXXXVI cubitorum; flumen illo admissum arbitrantur. In the largest pyramid, there is an eighty-six cubit well inside; it is thought the river is let in by it. There appears to be doubt as to how much the ancients knew of the interior […]
Also tagged 1st century, pyramis, translationPliny on alexanders (Naturalis Historia 27.109): Odor murrae habet qualitatem, unde et nomen. The smell has a myrrhy quality, whence also its name. The name of the plant is smyrnion ‘alexanders‘, which is a Greek diminutive from σμÏÏνα smyrna ‘myrrh’. The scientific name of the plant is the same (Smyrnium). The English name appears to […]
Also tagged 1st century, alexanders, qualitas, translationPliny is speaking of different kinds of fruit, their coverings, and the best parts of them (Naturalis Historia 15.34): In siliquis vero quod manditur quid nisi lignum est? non omittenda seminis earum proprietate: nam neque corpus nec lignum nec cartilago dici potest neque aliud nomen inveniat. In carob, indeed, what is eaten, except for the […]
Also tagged 1st century, carob, proprietas, translation